


Your Beauty; Your Stars

by words_are_like_colors



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: 19th Century, Kages is a bartender, M/M, Yama is an astronomer, space is a beautiful place and person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-07
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-07-27 09:07:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16215899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/words_are_like_colors/pseuds/words_are_like_colors
Summary: Kageyama spends his days mixing drinks for strangers and watching passersby, but today, he found a new fascination with the stars and wanted to dive in deeper.





	Your Beauty; Your Stars

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place sometime in the 19th century (but gayer). Dropping telescopes is not a good idea. Yamaguchi is somehow less nervous and Kageyama less socially awkward but it is fine.

A man in a pale yellow dress shirt sat in the corner in front of a window, stray green hairs that had fallen from his bun tucked behind his ears. A menu in his hands and a pair of spectacles sitting on his nose gave him a smart, elegant look. His legs were crossed, his foot moving itself to the beat of the nearby bar band. He looked at peace and comfortable, going by the small, subtle smile gracing his lips.

Every so often, the bartender would look at this man. He had requested a menu but had not risen to his feet again to order something, as if he was waiting for someone to walk up to him. Typically, if there were patrons like this, the bartender would ask his colleague to pick up the order, since it was not his job to go around and take orders like a waitress, but there was something alluring about this man that pulled him in. He looked beautiful and soft, the light from the window bending and twisting around him, filling every necessary spot with gorgeous light. There was something more about him, something more that the bartender wanted to gaze upon and learn about this man. 

The bartender watched the man for a moment longer. During this time, the man had placed the menu on the table and pushed his golden framed glasses up his nose with a simple tap of his finger. The bartender glanced around for any peepers and walked out from behind the bar. He checked his appearance, corrected his rolled up sleeves, and with a deep breath, he stepped up to the gorgeous man. 

“Excuse me.” The bartender reached out to tap the man’s shoulder, but he suddenly jolted. The man had looked up at him and everything the bartender saw upon his face made his pathetic heart flutter. Sparkling freckles dotted his cheeks and nose in a manner that it was as though the star system had infused itself into his skin, and it was gorgeous. Thin, simple round frames rested over dark eyes as if they were the theorized rings of Saturn. He would not have been surprised if the man could control the eternity of space with a flick of the wrist. And now the man’s cheeks were filling with pinks and reds, like the sands of a space planet, and… and oh—

—the man was blushing. He rose his hands up - unfortunately, no solar system was imprinted on his palms - and was waving them slightly. “Sir? You okay?” 

The bartender was not prepared for how lovely his voice was as well. Was everything about this man perfect? 

“Yeah.” He said dumbly, nodding. “Fine, I am fine. I just came to get your order.” His mind screamed the word ‘lies’ at him because the main reason he came over was to find out just what it was about this man that made him so alluring. 

“I don’t want anything.”

“What?” He had expected a calm whisper for an order of some fancy drink or a tasty meal, not nothing. “You must have wanted something.” 

“Oh, no, I am sorry. I didn’t find anything I wanted.”

Normally the bartender’s typical manner of walking away or getting angry would have resurfaced by now, but as he looked at the man, he found that he had unlimited patience. “Is there anything special you wanted?” 

“Why not sit with me? I am quite in need of some company.”

The bartender stared at him, trying to understand why he was asking a bartender to sit down and share a drink. The man waved it off.

“Ah, I’m sorry. It was inappropriate of me to have asked. Pay me no mind.”

Although it really was inappropriate, the bartender found himself shaking his head. “No, it is alright. I will just ask my supervisor. I am sure he will let me off for a minute or two.” Before he went back to the bar, he hesitated and asked. “While I am there, is there anything you want?”

“Surprise me, you are the bartender after all.” 

“Yes, sir.” The bartender gave him a curt nod before hurrying back to the bar. His supervisor gave him a wink, clearly knowing without having to be told, and gestured to the array of bottles on the shelves before going back to his own work. 

The bartender nearly slipped a few times while trying to make the drink because he could not stop glancing at the man. They made eye contact just as the whiskey bottled slipped from his fingers, and he nearly dropped the bottle. The man pressed the back of his hand to his mouth, covering a laugh, and embarrassment gripped the bartender. Mentally and physically shaking himself - since the drink had to be tumbled - back out of the feeling of abashedness, he suited himself up for an introduction. 

The man had a sort of glee in his eyes as the bartender sat down with him. 

When the man reached out for his glass, the bartender noticed something peculiar. The smallest finger of his left hand was crooked in the middle, just enough to be noticed when his hand was not bent. He tried to ignore it, he really did, especially since it was impolite to stare - not like he hadn't broken the rule at least 50 times already - but he just couldn’t. It was too cliché to say that everyone was flawed in some way, even if they were as beautiful as the night sky, but it was true; flaws were what made people themselves which in turn made them beautiful.

So as he placed his own glass onto the table and leaned back in his chair, he cleared his throat and asked gently, “I couldn’t help but notice. Did something happen to your finger?”

“Oh, technically yes.” The man shook his head, a jaded look on his face. “I get asked that a lot, but pay no mind—” he said as he noticed the apologetic look on the bartender’s face “—it is not that I am much ashamed of it. It was more of a mere accident than anything.” 

The bartender nodded. A question rose to his lips but he bit it back, knowing that if the subject wanted to be talked about, the man would have surrendered the information on his own. 

“I guess I should introduce myself. Isn’t that what people do when they meet for the first time?” So transparent, so utterly transparent; the bartender knew he had a slight smile on his face because it was just his luck that he forgot to introduce himself and that he hadn’t gotten the man’s name. Thank the heavens that the man remembered. “I am Yamaguchi Tadashi, professor of astronomical sciences at the nearest institution. But please, just Yamaguchi or Tadashi is fine. Being called professor makes me feel old somehow.”

And here the bartender was, finding more and more things that were beautiful about this man. His looks, voice, sincerity, and even his name were more evidence on why he had attracted him. The bartender lost his voice for a second before clearing his throat. “Kageyama Tobio.” He said in short, still slightly stunned. 

“Kageyama, Yamaguchi, they go together somewhat, don’t you think?” 

Cute was the only word that could describe the bright smile that was on Yamaguchi’s face. He wasn’t covering it with a hand anymore, letting himself shine. Kageyama couldn’t help but smile too, a small laugh passing past his lips. “I guess so, rather coincidental.” 

After that, they talked for a while. Kageyama got up to refill their drinks at one point and while he was at the bar, his supervisor was smirking like the little devil he was, but it was for the best. This time, he successfully made the drinks without slipping up. He couldn’t help but wonder about the broken finger again. He would understand if Yamaguchi worked with heavy tools or did dangerous things often but hearing that he taught astronomy didn’t exactly line up. It seemed rather recent because Yamaguchi kept rubbing it absentmindedly as if it was still causing him slight pain. He would have gotten used to it if it was an old wound. 

Kageyama went back to Yamaguchi, and placed their drinks on the table before sitting down. His eyes lingered on Yamaguchi’s finger until Yamaguchi spoke up.

“You are still curious about it.”

“Yes,” Kageyama sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck. He knew that he could either be completely unreadable or as transparent as glass, and at this moment it seemed that the latter side of him was winning. “I cannot help it.”

Yamaguchi held out his hand, and Kageyama took it carefully. As he ran his fingertips over the slight curvature of it, Yamaguchi spoke, “It was an accident, as I said before, nothing impressive or story worthy. Basically, it was my partner’s fault.”

“Partner?” Kageyama raised an eyebrow, heat flaring up within him for unjustified fear yet relief. 

“Research and teaching partner, Tsukki. He accidentally bumped the table when I was packing up my telescope and I dropped it upon my finger, breaking it. It hasn't been right since.” Yamaguchi sighed, looking at his pinky before folding his hands back in his lap. After a moment, he suddenly spoke up again. “Kageyama, did you think I meant ‘partner’ in a romantic sense?”

“I…” Kageyama was hopeless. A gorgeous man was sitting before him and once again he was betrayed by the fluster taking hold of him. His mouth gaping, all he could do was stare as his mind started up and shut down several times. 

He was dumbstruck until Yamaguchi let out a pleasant laugh, his mouth turning up into a huge smile. “I presume that was a yes? I see, Kageyama. Can I ask if you were perhaps hoping that I did not have one? I can guess by the look on your face, but I’d rather make sure first.”

“What look on my face…” Kageyama muttered fruitlessly, knowing full well that his cautious optimism was showing on his expression. Taking his glass, he took a sip before clearing his throat and saying, “Yes, of course,” taking a leap of faith, he continued, “how can I not want to be with someone so…” 

“So?” 

“Gorgeous--”

“Gorgeous?” 

“Oh, um, beautiful--”

“Beautiful?” Yamaguchi was giggling now, his hand over his mouth as he tumbled into soft laughter. Confused, Kageyama watched as Yamaguchi stopped laughing to catch his breath. “Kageyama, are you trying to hit on me?”

“Ah, well.” Face heating up, he scrambled mentally for something to say, “I, um, no, well, I? I guess? I mean…” 

“It is okay.” Yamaguchi cut him off once more, but with a comforting smile this time. He moved his hand away from his mouth and came to a rest on Kageyama’s hand that was holding his glass in a vice-like grip. “I think you are handsome too. As I mentioned before, I work at the nearby institute, so if you ever want to do more than just hit on me, look for me there.” Rising from his seat, he slowly pulled his fingers back and slid his coat on. 

Kageyama was staring again, as he had been doing from the beginning, but this time he was met with a kind gaze, one full of promise. He wanted to grab Yamaguchi’s hand and do or say something to make him stay.

Then, a warm pair of lips graced his temple and he saw stars.


End file.
